SOS service …IZ KRUGA – VOJVODINA provides support to women with and without disabilities exposed to violence through specialized anonymous consultant services by phone, electronically and in person.
In the period from July 1 to September 30, 2021, the SOS Service provided a total of 92 services: psychological empowerment and support for getting out of a violent situation, information on rights and other support systems, referral to legal aid, legal counseling (in the process of divorce, child support, division of property), writing submissions, referral to institutions for protection against violence (police, basic public prosecutor’s office, Center for Social Work) and other non-governmental organizations, representation before the court (in favor of the beneficiary due to the rejected claim requesting an increase in alimony payment).
Service users most often asked for support by phone (51), in person at the Organization’s premises (24), Viber (10) and e-mail (7).
A total of 92 appeals from beneficiaries who were in a situation of violence were recorded (61 SOS calls, 20 calls for individual psychological support and 11 calls for legal counseling services).
During this period 20 women (10 with and 10 without disabilities) applied to the Organization for support and 11 of them addressed the service for the first time. Most women had physical disabilities, followed by chronic illness, intellectual and sensory disabilities.
Women that reported violence were mostly exposed to psychological violence (8), followed by economic (7) and physical (4) as well as other types of violence (isolation, sexual and digital violence).
Women with disabilities are increasingly recognizing and reporting digital violence as a specific form of violence that reflects in the abuse of information technology (mobile phones and the Internet). It often results in injury and endangerment of personal dignity. Women exposed to digital violence face feelings of insecurity and distrust in their strengths and abilities and particularly in other people. These feelings make it very difficult for them to establish intimacy, allow someone to approach them and regain lost trust so they can talk about a surviving experience of violence.
The service users are of different ages, the youngest is 21 and the oldest is 65.
In addition to spouses (9) and ex-spouses (5), who are frequent perpetrators of violence, more calls were from women who suffered violence from other family members (parents, children, stepfathers and sons-in-law).
Besides direct calls from women exposed to violence, several calls were recorded from other family members. They were calls from mothers with mental disabilities who have children with disabilities (minor children with mental disabilities), or calls from other family members who want to provide support to a close person in the family exposed to violence.
Among the users of SOS services, most were unemployed women (10), compared to employed (7) and pensioners (3).
Most calls for support services came from urban areas (15) compared to rural areas (5). The calls were from Novi Sad, Belgrade, Sombor, Temerin, Zarkovac, Takovo and Blace.
SOS services are available every working day from 9 am to 4 pm by calling 066/447 040 (call, Viber, SMS) via Facebook @izkrugavojvodina and Instagram @iz_kruga_vojvodina or by email at office@izkrugavojvodina.org.
The work of the SOS service of the Organization …IZ KRUGA – VOJVODINA in the third quarter of 2021. was supported by the Dutch Mama Cash Foundation, Reconstruction Women’s Fund and UNDP within the project Integrated Response to Violence against Women and Girls in Serbia III.
